Drivers might pass by the building on Route 8 in Butler and not think twice. It's a hotel, after all. "Now it's all been completely renovated," said Timothy Walter, the assistant general manager at the Tesla BioHealing and Medbed Center. Walter gave our crew a tour of the facility, with renovated rooms, some of which included kitchenettes and hot tubs, a gym with brand-new equipment, and a large banquet hall with an ornate chandelier.But now, the facility isn't merely focused on hospitality.For a few hundred dollars a night, guests are able to sleep in medbed rooms above Tesla Biohealing "generators." They're large, cylindrical canisters. The company's website reads that guests who stay there benefit from the "super boost of high-strength Life Force Energy.""Life Force Energy is the body's ability of innate intelligence to make changes or repair itself," said James Millen, a Doctor of Chiropractic and the Butler facility's clinical team leader.Millen said the canisters use the company's proprietary technology to stimulate that "Life Force Energy," or biophotons.Tesla BioHealing's website has many pages describing that energy, with one example claiming it benefits people debilitated by everything from dementia, to stroke paralysis, and even terminal cancers.Loads of written customer testimonials echo that. People write about having more energy, and sleeping better."I mean, this does help no matter what's wrong with you," said Darlene Jackson, who said she has COPD. "You know, I'll try anything if it's doing to help me."To buy one of the company's BioHealers costs $599, according to the company's website. The larger generators that are in the facility are two for $20,000.Millen said the larger cost comes in because those devices are 100 times stronger than the BioHealers.But also posted in several places on the company's website is a disclaimer that seemingly stands in contradiction to the benefits that clients write about:"Tesla BioHealing does not provide any medical advice. Our products, FDA-registered Tesla BioHealing OTC (Over-The-Counter) Medical Devices, and services are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your own healthcare provider if you have any medical issues."We asked how the company balances all that."It's quite simple; we aren't doing anything," Millen said. "It's your own body that's doing it. See, the best physician is the one that's inside of your body. What changes your body makes with the biophoton energy is up to you and your body."Dr. Stephen Barrett is a retired psychiatrist and has also investigated questionable or false medical claims for decades."As far as the disclaimer is concerned, that's put there to try to protect them in case an agency come after them," he said. "They can say, 'Look, we're not making these claims.'"Tesla Biohealing is incorporated in Delaware, listed under Dr. James Liu. Pittsburgh's Action News 4 requested a Zoom interview with Liu, who turned us down.In 2014, the Federal Trade Commission investigated another one of Liu's companies for claims it made about an asthma device. In a letter addressed to Liu, the FTC wrote it was concerned those claims were not adequately substantiated. The government agency did not recommend any enforcement actions at the time, because Liu agreed to stop using the product's name, and to stop making asthma-related claims in marketing it. Also, sales were "very limited."The FTC also wrote it expected the company "will ensure that all its health benefit claims are adequately substantiated in the future."In a statement, Liu described the situation as a learning experience that still guides him to this day. He also wrote that Tesla BioHealing is working "with the FDA to gain special therapeutic claims," and his focus is on conducting "double-blinded placebo controlled clinical studies."When it comes to testimonial claims, the advice from Dr. Barrett is for consumers to be very suspicious."If you see testimonial claims, to be very suspicious. If something is not fda approved, to be very suspicious, and if you ask your doctor, that might be a good way to figure it out," Barrett said.Millen echoed that sentiment, saying he would not tell anybody to stop taking a medication or prescription."But I will tell them just go to the physician that wrote the prescription in the first place, and have him adjust it if he feels it's the right thing to do," Millen said.
Drivers might pass by the building on Route 8 in Butler and not think twice. It's a hotel, after all.
"Now it's all been completely renovated," said Timothy Walter, the assistant general manager at the Tesla BioHealing and Medbed Center.
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Walter gave our crew a tour of the facility, with renovated rooms, some of which included kitchenettes and hot tubs, a gym with brand-new equipment, and a large banquet hall with an ornate chandelier.
But now, the facility isn't merely focused on hospitality.
For a few hundred dollars a night, guests are able to sleep in medbed rooms above Tesla Biohealing "generators." They're large, cylindrical canisters.
The company's website reads that guests who stay there benefit from the "super boost of high-strength Life Force Energy."
"Life Force Energy is the body's ability of innate intelligence to make changes or repair itself," said James Millen, a Doctor of Chiropractic and the Butler facility's clinical team leader.
Millen said the canisters use the company's proprietary technology to stimulate that "Life Force Energy," or biophotons.
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Tesla BioHealing's website has many pages describing that energy, with one example claiming it benefits people debilitated by everything from dementia, to stroke paralysis, and even terminal cancers.
Loads of written customer testimonials echo that. People write about having more energy, and sleeping better.
"I mean, this does help no matter what's wrong with you," said Darlene Jackson, who said she has COPD. "You know, I'll try anything if it's doing to help me."
To buy one of the company's BioHealers costs $599, according to the company's website. The larger generators that are in the facility are two for $20,000.
Millen said the larger cost comes in because those devices are 100 times stronger than the BioHealers.
But also posted in several places on the company's website is a disclaimer that seemingly stands in contradiction to the benefits that clients write about:
"Tesla BioHealing does not provide any medical advice. Our products, FDA-registered Tesla BioHealing OTC (Over-The-Counter) Medical Devices, and services are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your own healthcare provider if you have any medical issues."
We asked how the company balances all that.
"It's quite simple; we aren't doing anything," Millen said. "It's your own body that's doing it. See, the best physician is the one that's inside of your body. What changes your body makes with the biophoton energy is up to you and your body."
Dr. Stephen Barrett is a retired psychiatrist and has also investigated questionable or false medical claims for decades.
"As far as the disclaimer is concerned, that's put there to try to protect them in case an agency come after them," he said. "They can say, 'Look, we're not making these claims.'"
Tesla Biohealing is incorporated in Delaware, listed under Dr. James Liu. Pittsburgh's Action News 4 requested a Zoom interview with Liu, who turned us down.
In 2014, the Federal Trade Commission investigated another one of Liu's companies for claims it made about an asthma device.
In a letter addressed to Liu, the FTC wrote it was concerned those claims were not adequately substantiated. The government agency did not recommend any enforcement actions at the time, because Liu agreed to stop using the product's name, and to stop making asthma-related claims in marketing it. Also, sales were "very limited."
The FTC also wrote it expected the company "will ensure that all its health benefit claims are adequately substantiated in the future."
In a statement, Liu described the situation as a learning experience that still guides him to this day. He also wrote that Tesla BioHealing is working "with the FDA to gain special therapeutic claims," and his focus is on conducting "double-blinded placebo controlled clinical studies."
When it comes to testimonial claims, the advice from Dr. Barrett is for consumers to be very suspicious.
"If you see testimonial claims, to be very suspicious. If something is not fda approved, to be very suspicious, and if you ask your doctor, that might be a good way to figure it out," Barrett said.
Millen echoed that sentiment, saying he would not tell anybody to stop taking a medication or prescription.
"But I will tell them just go to the physician that wrote the prescription in the first place, and have him adjust it if he feels it's the right thing to do," Millen said.
